Affiliate Management 102

In June we wrote an article inspired by some of the most important people in the direct marketing space, account managers. As I wrote then, I still remember my entry into the online space. I was asked whether I wanted to do media buying or become an account manager, which would put me on the track to become an account executive. Neither seemed ideal, but one paid more than the other, so you can guess which I chose. Compared with the account managers, the media buyers I met seemed savvier, more in tune with the market, also in sales but doing more than just support. Plus, they seemed to uncover the more interesting sites and send around more dirty pictures. How times have changed. Well, the dirty pictures might still exist, but with respect to importance and definitely pay, account managers have become second to paid search – people with more than just a rolodex, not just relationship specialists but revenue specialists. Looking across the ad network / affiliate network landscape, for direct response marketing, account managers, more specifically, affiliate managers can make or break a company. This week, we thought we would continue along the theme from our previous article but simply focus on the many roles of an affiliate manager, but what separates the superstars from the no stars.

We know only a little about being a good affiliate manager, so we found those who did – the ones living it day to day. Want to excel like they do? Here’s what we learned.

• Have the affiliate’s best interest at heart – It might sound cliche or self-explanatory, but it’s importance cannot be overstated. As an affiliate manager, you do not have to put their interests above those of your company. You aren’t expected to lose money, but ultimately, it comes down to a relationship, and that means trust. An affiliate knows their affiliate manager has a job to do, that they will try to get them to run their products over another companies. What they should remember is that it’s about the affiliate not about them. That’s what putting their best interest at heart is all about. Are you doing it for you or for them? If it doesn’t have a healthy enough amount of them behind it, you might want to reconsider.
• Be proactive – Take the lead. Reach out. Offer up suggestions. Check their stats for them. Check their site often. Help them be aware of changes. It’s ok if they already know they are down; maybe they aren’t down. Maybe something else is going on or they didn’t know. You’re part of a team, an integral part, from q&a to compliance. Over communicating is better than under-communicating. On the flip side, don’t force it. Listen for their feedback; see which types of info they find helpful and which they seem to not use.
• Know their capabilities – This is one of my favorites and very important in my opinion. No two people (not even twins) are the same, and no two affiliates are either. What works for one might not work for the other. Are they a one man shop or part of a larger team? Do they have a lot of resources? Where do they run the offers, and what types have worked to date? Try to see their pattern of success and find what fits into that. Don’t be afraid to shape them, mold them, and make them aware of how they might improve.
• Share the big picture – You don’t have to know everything that is going on in the industry, but you should try to know everything you can about your company and to learn about other companies from your affiliates. Affiliate managers must walk a fine line – sharing enough without sharing too much; you want affiliates to feel they learn valuable information but not to the point where it feels as though they will share indiscriminately.
• Hold them accountable – It’s often easier said than done, but you are there for them, and you need to make them there for you. Get commitments from the affiliate, if not in volume then in certain actions, whether it’s testing a new offer, trying a certain tweak on an existing, etc. They might ask things of you, but don’t give until you get in return.
• Be a partner not a sales person – Deals come and go, but partnerships last. If you treat the affiliate manager / affiliate relationship like that of selling a car you might experience some short term gain, a quick sale, maybe even a nice financial pop, but you will lose out in the end. You might want to make money right away. That puts food on the plate, but patience will pay off the mortgage. Manage your time well among affiliates; shift based on need. Don’t force it; the success will come.
• Be available – This isn’t the most fun, and it’s not something that can be written down as part of the job description, but the good affiliate managers make time for their affiliates. Like a good friend, they are there to take business calls that aren’t always during business hours. It’s one more reason why good account managers are often paid like the revenue pillars they are; like an emergency room doctor, they are on call. 

• Make affiliates feel special – The best affiliate managers make their affiliates feel as though they have no other affiliates. If you’ve taken lessons, had a coach for an individual sport, or even a therapist, then you can identify with this. You know they have other clients, but when you have their time, you have their time. They know your situation, where you’ve come from, where you’re going, and as importantly, where you are that moment. The opposite experience is seeing your general practitioner where it seems they are always one piece of paper away from not knowing your name. That’s not a relationship; it’s a diagnosis. Go see your affiliates in person; make time for them at tradeshows; remember their birthday’s and that of their significant other. The more they rely on you as a person, the more they will rely on you for business.

For any affiliate that might read this, know that it’s a two way street. You need to give to the relationship as well. Know that you aren’t their only one. They have a limited amount of time and need to make the best use of it. It’s not as Machiavellian as what have you done for me lately, but as is the case with any relationship, if you take and take without giving, you can’t expect the same percent of their time and mindshare. As an affiliate, share with your affiliate manager. They can’t operate in a vacuum. Be honest. Don’t say you do search if you do adware. You will need them to go to bat for you, be it on price, on rescuing you after you make a mistake, you name it.

You need to show that you have the knowledge, the money, and the desire to be one of their best. You don’t have to be the biggest affiliate to be the best, just like the best affiliate managers don’t have to be the most knowledgeable to be the most successful. Relationships are a powerful thing. The difference between running on offer compared to another often has less to do with price than people. The intangibles of the relationship and being there can make up what another dollar can’t.